Bradford

Bradford's population expanded in the 10 years leading up to the latest census. Data from the census also show there were changes in ethnicity, housing tenure and religion.

The population passed half a million

In the 10 years leading up to 2011, the population of Bradford increased by 12%, from just under 468,000 to 522,000.

The addition of just under 55,000 people means this area's population was the fastest-growing in Yorkshire and The Humber and increased faster than the rate of growth across England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Bradford was home to, on average, 10 people per football pitch-sized piece of land. This made it Yorkshire and The Humber's third-most densely-populated district.

Population density was higher than the average across Yorkshire and The Humber

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across Yorkshire and The Humber, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

A younger Bradford

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Bradford decreased by one year, from 35 to 34 years.

This multi-cultural area had the lowest average age in Yorkshire and The Humber and remained younger than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The fall in age was because of an increase of just over 12,000 people between the ages of 20 and 29 years, while the population between 70 and 79 years decreased by about 200.

About 14% of people in Bradford are aged between 20 and 29 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, Yorkshire and The Humber and Bradford by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Bradford

Bradford saw Yorkshire and The Humber's second-largest fall in the proportion of people who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability.

In 2011, just over 1 in 17 (5.9%) in Bradford reported being limited a little in their day-to-day activities, compared with 6.8% in 2001. The percentage who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 3.5% to 3.8%.

Across the region, only Rotherham saw a greater fall in the proportion of people who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability (from 7.7% to 6.8%).

The proportion of people who are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across Yorkshire and The Humber

Percentage of usual residents that reported being slightly limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in Yorkshire and The Humber and the average across England, March 2011

Ethnicity in Bradford

The number of people in Bradford from the White ethnic groups decreased from just under 370,000 in 2001 to just over 350,000 in 2011. This represents a change from 78% to 67% of the local population.

The percentage decreased by more than the average across Yorkshire and The Humber (from 93% to 89%) and the average across England (from 91% to 85%).

The number of people in Bradford from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from about 89,000 in 2001 to just over 140,000 in 2011 (from 19% to 27%). The number of residents from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed) increased from about 6,900 to about 13,000 (from 1.5% to 2.5%).

Just under 9,300 people (0.9%) said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups, up from just over 4,300 in 2001 (1.8%).

The population from the White ethnic groups in Bradford decreased by 11 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, Yorkshire and The Humber and Bradford by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of households in Bradford that rented privately increased from 9.7% to 18% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just over one in seven (15%) households lived in social housing, compared with 16% in 2001. The percentage of Bradford households that owned their home decreased from 71% to 65%.

The proportion of privately rented homes increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Yorkshire and The Humber (from 9.1% in 2001 to 16% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.9% to 17%.

Private renting in Bradford increased by 8.4 percentage points

Percentage of households in Bradford, Yorkshire and The Humber and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in Bradford

The number of people in Bradford that described themselves as Muslim increased from just over 75,000 in 2001 to just under 130,000 in 2011. This represents a change from 16% to 25% of the local population.

The percentage increased by more than the average across Yorkshire and The Humber (from 3.8% to 6.2%) and the average across England (from 3.2% to 5.2%).

The number of people in Bradford that described themselves as Christian decreased from about 280,000 in 2001 to about 240,000 in 2011 (from 60% to 46%). The number of people who described themselves as having no religion increased from just over 62,000 to about 110,000 (from 13% to 21%).

Just under 33,000 people (8.1%) did not state their religion, down from about 38,000 in 2001 (6.2%).

The population who identified as Muslim in Bradford increased by 8.6 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, Yorkshire and The Humber and Bradford by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in rate of self-employment

Bradford saw Yorkshire and The Humber's largest rise in the proportion of self-employed people.

In 2011, just over 1 in 12 (8.6%) people aged 16 to 74 in Bradford said they were self-employed, compared with 6.8% in 2001. The percentage that were employed decreased from 50% to 49%.

Across the region, Rotherham saw the next largest increase in the proportion of self-employed people (from 5.9% in 2001 to 7.5% in 2011).

Every local authority area across Yorkshire and The Humber saw a rise in the proportion of self-employed people, as the regional average grew from 7.2% to 8.4%.

The rate of self-employment in Bradford increased by 1.8 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Bradford, Yorkshire and The Humber and England that said they were self-employed, March 2001 and March 2011

More people worked short hours

The percentage of employed people in Bradford working less than 16 hours increased from 1.9% to 3.4% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just over 1 in 14 (7.4%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, compared with 11% in 2001.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Yorkshire and The Humber (from 1.8% in 2001 to 3.0% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.9% to 3.1%.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week in Bradford increased by 1.5 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Bradford, Yorkshire and The Humber and England that said they had worked less than 16 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Changes in family structure

Bradford saw Yorkshire and The Humber's largest rise in the proportion of households with children.

In 2011, just over one in three (34%) households in Bradford had at least one dependent child, compared with 34% in 2001. The percentage with no children decreased from 57% to 56%.

Across the region, Sheffield saw the next largest increase in the proportion of households with children (from 27% in 2001 to 28% in 2011).

The proportion of households with children was higher than across Yorkshire and The Humber

Percentage of households with at least one dependent child across local authority areas in Yorkshire and The Humber and the average across England, March 2011

Change in unpaid care provision

The percentage of Bradford residents that provided at least 50 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 2.3% to 2.4% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

The percentage who reported providing between 20 and 49 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 1.2%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care decreased faster here than in any other local authority district across Yorkshire and The Humber. The improvement brought health in Bradford close to the regional average 2.6% in Yorkshire and The Humber described their health as good in 2011).

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care in Bradford remained close to 2.4%

Percentage of usual residents in England, Yorkshire and The Humber and Bradford by care, March 2001 and March 2011

Relationships in Bradford

The proportion of married people fell in Bradford, but at a slower rate than all other local authority areas in Yorkshire and The Humber, except Doncaster and North East Lincolnshire.

Every local authority area across Yorkshire and The Humber saw a fall in the proportion of married people, as the regional average fell from 52% to 47%.

During this period, Bradford fell below five local authority areas, including Doncaster and North East Lincolnshire, to become the Yorkshire and The Humber local authority area with the 10th-lowest percentage of married people.

The proportion of married people was higher than across Yorkshire and The Humber

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were married across local authority areas in Yorkshire and The Humber and the average across England, March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Bradford residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 10% to 5.9% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (80%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 67% in 2001. While the percentage of Bradford residents that described their health as fair decreased from 23% to 14%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Yorkshire and The Humber (from 10% in 2001 to 6.0% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Bradford decreased by 4.3 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Bradford, Yorkshire and The Humber and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

More people cohabiting

The percentage of households in Bradford, which comprised a cohabiting couple, increased from 8.4% to 9.6% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just under 3 in 10 (30%) households had only one person, compared with 29% in 2001. The percentage of households in Bradford which comprised a married couple (with or without children) decreased from 37% to 34%.

The proportion of households with an unmarried couple increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Yorkshire and The Humber (from 8.7% in 2001 to 11% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 8.3% to 9.9%.

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple was lower than across Yorkshire and The Humber

Percentage of households that had an unmarried couple across local authority areas in Yorkshire and The Humber and the average across England, March 2011

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